March the 18th, 2013, Bethlehem, Palestinian Territories. A few days before the visit of the U.S. president Barack Obama, the public sector workers finally receive their salaries: Since the UN general assembly voted the recognition of the state of Palestine in November 2012, the Fayyad’s government have been facing great financial difficulties: Israel has been using its power inherited from the Paris protocol to stop the transfer of the V.A.T to the Palestinian Authorities, as a means...more »

March the 18th, 2013, Bethlehem, Palestinian Territories. A few days before the visit of the U.S. president Barack Obama, the public sector workers finally receive their salaries: Since the UN general assembly voted the recognition of the state of Palestine in November 2012, the Fayyad’s government have been facing great financial difficulties: Israel has been using its power inherited from the Paris protocol to stop the transfer of the V.A.T to the Palestinian Authorities, as a means of political pressure. Since then, the public workers have received their salary with month of delays, causing major difficulties in the daily life of their families, but also affecting the entire economy. When the transfer of the salaries is announced, the workers get the news via text message from their bank, and have a very short time to withdraw the money. Like these two policemen, who are lucky to be first served, they need to be fast as the A.T.M are quickly out of cash.« less